Biomaterials research involves many areas of material science. The area of material science generally depends on the intended application of the biomaterial. For example, metals and metal alloys are used in orthopedics, dentistry and other load bearing applications; ceramics are used because of their chemically inert nature or their high bioactivity; polymers are used for soft tissue replacement and used for many other non-structural applications.
Regardless of their application, biomaterials are often required to maintain a balance between application specific mechanical properties and their biological effect on the body. So, biomaterial are often required to display a range of properties, such as biological activity (or inactivity), mechanical strength, chemical durability, etc. These aspects of biomaterial design are important to the successful application of the biomaterial to a given situation and/or application. Use of composite technology has enabled biomedical material researchers to develop a wide range of new biocomposites, which offer the promise to improve the quality of life of many people.
In a specific example, attempts have been made to incorporate ceramic and/or metallic nanoparticles into polymer matrices for the purpose of improving both the durability and surface characteristics (e.g., abrasion resistance) of polymers. However, the ceramic and/or metallic nanoparticles tend to conglomerate or clump when processed or mixed into the base polymer material. A suitable solution to this problem is desired.